Railway signaling system.



01F. DINGMAN.

RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-7| 1913- Patented June 22, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

:ll HIIIH CHARLES F- DNGMQN THE NORRIS PETERS CIZLv FHOTO'LITHOQWASHINGTON, D, L,

C. F. DINGMAN.

RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-7,19I3- 1 ,1%3,755m Patented June 22, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witness?! l 11%.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHO. WASHINGTON. D. L,

orrron CHARLES IE. DINGIVIAN, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1915.

Application filed November 7, 1913. Serial No. 799,770.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES F. DINGMAN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county ofHudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Railway Signaling Systems, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in railwaysignaling systems and more particularly to an automatic train controlledsystem and the primary object of the invention resides in providing asystem of this character which fulfils all the requirements for a systemof this class, as set forth by the Interstate Commerce Commission.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a system for usein steam railroads in which means is provided for positively braking thetrain upon injury to, or disability, for any reason whatsoever, of theengineer or upon injury to or derangement of the signaling system.

Still another object of the invention resides in providing a systemwhich is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, in theapplication of the same to use, and one which will be very eliicient anduseful in operation.

W ith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts aswill be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in thespecification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, Figurel is a diagrammatic view disclosing the signaling apparatus and circuittherefor. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a slight modification of thesignaling circuit. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing in detail thecomplete circuit and parts in a single block of the system. Fig. 4% is adiagrammatic view showing a broken track circuit caused by the breakingof a rail. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a complete track circuitcaused by the disposition of a car in a particular block of the system.Fig. 6 is a detail section showing the contactor carried on the m0vableobject and engaged with the conductor plates. Fig. 7 is a detail sectionthrough the conductor. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view illustrating apuppet valve as herein embodied.

In describing my invention, I shall refer to the drawings, in whichsimilar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views and in which 1 indicates a section of a railway trackdivided in its length into blocks. The rails in each of the blocks areinsulated from one another, as shown at 2 and the pair of rails in eachblock is electrically connected to gether by means of the wires 3 and t,leading respectively from said rails and connected to the battery 5. Forconvenience, the batteries 5 will be termed track batteries and it willbe seen that through the medium of said batteries and connectionsleading therefrom to the tracks, the latter will be electricallyenergized. It will also be seen that the tracks in each block areseparately energized.

Arranged in each block to one side of the track rails is a relay 6 whichconnects through the medium of the wires 7 and 8 to the railsrespectively of the preceding block.

bus the current connecting the rails to one block from the batteryarranged in connection with the rails thereof, will also pass throughthe wires 7 and 8 and relay connected thereto.

The signal circuit is arranged for cooperation directly with the relaysand, to this end, a pair of parallel conductor plates 9 are provided toextend the length of each block to one side thereof. These conductorplates are supported in a plane above the plane of the upper face of therails and are held in such position by means of the supporting arms 10which are secured to the outer ends of the ties 11 which support saidrails. Leading from these conductor plates in each block are the wires12 and 13, respectively which connect with a battery let and in thelength of the wire 12, is a pivoted switch arm 15 which forms anarmature in connection with the relay 6, in that particular block. Itwill, of course, be understood that a battery 14: which, forconvenience, will be termed a signal battery, is provided in each block,from which the wires 12 and 13 extend to the conductor plates in eachblock. When the current in one block passes through the rails thereofand through the relay connected therewith, which is disposed in theblock in the rear thereof, it will be seen that the switch arm 15forming an armature for said relay will be drawn to the latter, asclearly shown in Fig. 3 ofth drawings, thus causing current to passthrough the wires 12 and 13 and to the conductor plates 9.

One car, preferably the end one or the locomotive, of each train whichis adapted to travel over the track is providedwith a depending arm orthe like 16, the lower end of which is curved upwardly and provided withan elliptical spring contacting member 17 which is designed to fitsnugly between the conductor plates 9. This contacting member isnormally in engagement with the conductor plates, thus completing thecircuit between said plates, signal batteries and relay in connectiontherewith. Arranged on the referred to car of the train,,is a solenoid18, from which lead the wires 19 and 20, engaged respectively with thesemi-elliptical portions of the contacting member 9. When the lastreferred to circuit, between the relay, signal battery and the conductorplates is complete, it will be seen that the solenoid will be energizedand fulcrumed at a convenient adjacent point on the car, is a lever 21which has a projection 22 thereon, the latter being constructed to forman armature forthe solenoid. A lamp 23 displaying a white light isarranged at a point adjacent the lever 21 and the one end of said leveris provided with a red roundel 24. 'When the solenoid is energizedandthe extension 22 of said lever 21 is in contact with said solenoid,the lever is in such position as to dispose the red roundel thereof in aposition above the lamp 23 but when said solenoid is deenergized, thelever 21 is adapted to be lowered in view of the dropping of thearmature portion 22 and the red roundel at the one end of said lever isadapted to be displayed in front of the lamp 23, indicating danger tothe engineer or other party in charge of the signaling device. The trainpipe 25 which leads to the engine at which point this signalingapparatus is preferably provided, has a conventional puppet valve 26therein which is controlled by the opposite end 27 of the fulcrumedlever 21. When said lever is in the position in which the red roundelthereof is disposed above the lamp 28, that is when the solenoid 18 isenergized, the end 27 of said lever is in its lowered position againstthe puppet valve, retaining the latter in its closed position in thetrain line. It must be here stated that when there is a clear track thesolenoid will always be energized so that in such conditions, the puppetvalve will remain closed, thus retaining the brakes in their inoperativepositions.

Assuming a block to be unoccupied and the block immediately ahead of thesame clear, the electric current from the track batterypassing-throughthe rails and the wires leading therefrom will energizethe relay and thus allow the current from the signal battery which isarranged in connection with said relay to pass to the conductor platesalong the block immediately in the rear of the first mentioned block.When a train enters this last mentioned block, its cont-actor will pickup the current from the conductor plates and carry it through thesolenoid to complete the circuit therethrough. hen the completing ofsuch circuit attracts the armature of the solenoid to raise the one endof the lever 21, such position thereof permits the red roundel of thesame to be disposed above the white light and permits said white lightto be disclosed. In such position of the lever 21, the puppet valvereferred to in connection with the train line is retained in its closedposition. This condition will be maintained as long as the blockimmediately ahead of the block last referred to remains unoccupied. If,however, a train or car occupies the first mentioned block, the currentfrom the track battery would be short-circuited through the the wheelsand aXles of the train or car, thus depriving the relay connectedtherewith of its energy which, in turn, would open the signal batterycircuit in connection with said relay. Fig. 5 clearly discloses thecourse of the circuit under such conditions, showing the relay inconnection therewith to be deenergized. When such a. condition occurs,the solenoid in the train which enters the block immediately in the rearof the block which is already occupied, will be dcenergized, the signalbattery circuit being open. By deenergizing the solenoid, the one end ofthe lever 21 will, obviously, be lowered and the red roundel thereondisposed over the lamp 23 which, obviously, displays the red light. Thered light immediately discloses to the engineer the danger ahead butdoes not necessitate action by said engineer, inasmuch as the loweringof the one end of the lever 21 raises the opposite end thereof to permitthe puppet 26 to be opened. Such opening of the puppet valve releasesthe air from the train line, thus causing the brakes to be applied.Thus, it will be seen that a train or car may not enter a block which isalready occupied and when one train enters the block immediately in therear of a block which is already occupied, such train will beautomatically stopped, thus positively preventing accident throughrear-end collisions and the like. It will also be seen that should, forany reason whatsoever, a rail be broken or a wire become broken ordisconnected, a train will be automatically stopped in the blockimmediately in the rear of the block in which the damage to the rail orwire occurred.

In Fig. 2, I have shown a slightly modified form of the invention,wherein the conductor plates 32 are supported considerably above therails by means of a standard 33. This standard disposes the conductorplates in a plane intermediate of the rails and in a plane above thecars or trains. Under such conditions, the train or engine is providedwith an upstanding arm 34 which projects from the top thereof, the outerend of the same being provided with the usual contacting member.Otherwise, this form of device is identical to the form heretoforedescribed.

It will be seen that this system which is obviously a simple andefficient one, may be applied in connection with any of the existingsystems or made a part of any interlocking system so as to provideconnections at turn-outs, switches, crossings and the like.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a simple,inexpensive and efficient means for carrying out the objects of theinvention, and while I have particularly described the elements bestadapted to perform the functionsset forth, it is obvious that variouschanges in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any ofthe principles of the invention.

Having thus described this invention, what I claim is 1. In combinationwith a vehicle provided with a fluid brake system and a lamp carried bythe vehicle in close proximity to the train pipe of the brake system,said train pipe being provided with an opening in communication with theatmosphere, a valve for closing the opening in the pipe line, a leverpivotally supported by the vehicle intermediate its length, oneextremity of said lever being provided with a roundel adapted to overliethe lamp, the opposite extremity of the lever being adapted to engagethe valve when the roundel is in an inoperative position relative to thelamp for holding the valve in closed position, and electrical meansunder control of a normally closed circuit for maintaining the lever inan adjustment with the roundel away from the lamp and with the oppositeextremity of the lever in contact with the valve.

2. In combination with a vehicle provided with a fluid brake systemand alamp carried by the vehicle in close proximity to the train pipe of thebrake system, said train pipe being provided with an opening incommunication with the atmosphere, a valve for closing the opening inthe pipe line, a lever pivotally supported by the vehicle intermediateits-length, one extremity of said lever being provided with a roundeladapted to overlie the lamp, the opposite extremity of the lever beingadapted to engage the valve when the roundel is in an inoperativeposition relative to the lamp for holding the valve in closed position,a solenoid operatively engaged with the lever at a point between theroundel and the pivotal connection of the lever, said solenoid beingpositioned above the lever, and a normally closed circuit formaintaining the core of the solenoid in retracted position whereby theroundel is maintained in an elevated position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

CHARLES F. DINGMAN.

Witnesses:

G. STANLEY Cox, MONNA GERTRUDE DINGMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

